INDIA’S MILLIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19052, 16 September 1933, Page 5

INDIA’S MILLIONS.

RAPIDLY INCREASING. \ SOME STARTLING FIGURES. United Press Assn—El pc Tel. Copyright. CALCUTTA, Sept. 14. Grave concern has been caused by the continued rapid lnorease of India’s population under the more favourable conditions of British rule. Canals, railways and roads thus made practicable have secured life and property, prompted education, and improved hygiene, industry, and agriculture. These factors have added another 100,000,000 to the population, and intensified the struggle for existence. General Megaw, head of the Indian Medical Service, has just published some startling figures., Among India’s 353,000,000 people are 13,000,000 suffering from venereal diseases, 4,000,000 from night blindness, due to dietetic deficiency, 2,000,000 from rickets, 2,000,000 from tuberculosis and 1,000,000 from leprosy. Child-bearing begins in India on the average at under 16 years. Infant mortality is 280 per 1000, and maternal mortality 40 per 1000. Malaria mortality runs into millions. It is pointed out that if one-tenth of the energy and passion expended on political change were devoted to constructive proposals that would meet the peril to the poorly-nourished populace, untold suffering would be prevented.